2023 KIA Sportage
2023 Kia Sportage – KIA has launched its first look at Sportage 2023. The “Opposites United” design concept described by the company for the EV6 has reached a futuristic high point and looks aggressive with the Sportage.
It’s tempting to say that it looks cooler than it should; Sportage has never really been a style icon, even if it’s always been a very fun budget option compared to a car that costs twice as much.
2023 KIA Sportage
But in addition to the grand and high-concept “Opposites United” concept, Kia is putting serious work into the design, with Sportage supposed to set new benchmarks for what a modern crossover looks like, outside and inside.
2023 KIA Sportage Overview
Going from Sportage 2022 to 2023 is almost staggering, where the front end of the 2022 model is almost round with its shape curved into a blob.
Whereas 2023 is sleek, sharp, and clean. It maintains the same line from the hood to the roof but only profiled more smoothly. The car as a whole looks more put together, and everything makes sense.
Several elements similar to EV6; Kia, like other automakers whose name consists of three letters, decided that a distinctive grille was its trademark.
The Sportage had a similar kind of “Tiger Nose” look. Framed by headlights, the lightning bolt-style hook on edge is a daytime running light, so you don’t have to worry about waiting until it’s dark to look cool.
You’re looking at a domestic market version, so expect to see more details about Sportage 2023 in the US market shortly.
Whatever other changes in terms of content between the two, the outer and inner styles should remain, this is a much-needed Sportage re-concept—the current model debuted in 2016 for the 2017 model year.
Especially next to the new model. Take a look at the complex interaction between the running boomerang lights and the new “Digital Tiger Face”—a paired design element that sits on top of and complements a complex, contemporary grid.
As is the trend, the actual headlights are less prominent than the arc of the walking lamp. Under the grille, wide lower intakes and fog lamps sit beneath the body-colored chinstraps.
The sides are deeply sculpted, and the D-pillar decoration kicked in is a neat variation on the floating roof theme, which will surely be enhanced with a roof option with a contrasting black finish.
The rear plays with some EV6 style concepts (albeit with less dramatic and larger taillights), but overall, it’s a bold look for Kia’s compact SUV. It is hardly listed as a relative of Sportage today.
2023 Kia Sportage Interior
Sportage looks stunning with a cool design highlighted by a large digital display on the dashboard and various other interesting details.
The image we saw showed an attractive two-tone color scheme, and the shape of the air vents on the dashboard was very different. The center console offers a rotary shift key, push-to-start button, and various other controls that blend into the piano’s black frame.
The curved screen that crosses the cockpit has air vents attached to it, so the two work together to make the cockpit feel fully integrated—or at least, so Kia says. In the end, it’s the big screen that can blow you up.
The center console has been recreated into a control panel as well as storage space. Front passengers are also served almost as much as drivers but not enough for the risk level of Hyperscreen-style interference.
2023 Kia Sportage Powertrain
Powertrains will depend on where you live. For example, the European model will utilize a 1.6-liter turbo, which will also be available on hybrid models. We’ve seen many models in this segment drop their diesel engines, and Kia could do the same for the sake of its emissions.
Over in America, the standard engine for the 2023 Sportage should be a new four-cylinder 2.5-liter with direct injection that provides an estimated 190 horsepower and 182 lb-ft (260 Nm) of torque.
An 8-speed automatic should be standard, while an AWD would be an option. We can also expect a Sportage GT with turbocharged output in a 250-300 hp ballpark. However, it is much further down the line.
2023 Kia Sportage Release Date
The 2023 Kia Sportage launches in the US early next year with unreleased powertrain specs and prices.
2022 Kia EV6 GT First Look
